(i) Technical Field
The present invention relates to an image writing system, a writing apparatus, a display medium, an image writing method, a computer readable medium for image writing and a computer data signal for image writing.
(ii) Related Art
The printing matter, in general, is to present a fixed image by externally providing a coloring material, such as ink or toner, or a developing material onto a medium, represented by a paper. As a medium alternative to such a medium presenting a fixed image, research and development has been made on a display medium capable of: rewritably recording an image in accordance with an external force for writing; and maintaining the recorded image even after the removal of the external force.
There is known a display medium, called an electronic paper, capable of rewritably recording an image according to an external force for writing, which gives an electronic change to the medium, and capable of maintaining the image even after removing the external force.
Such a display medium contains a display material making up an image, at the inside of a display region serving as a region to maintain the image on display. By applying an external force for writing (electricity, magnetism, heat, chemical action such as a liquid having a PH or the like) to the display material, the display material is changed in state physically or chemically to form therein an image in accordance with the external force for writing. The image formed is maintained even after removing the external force. Furthermore, in case different external force for writing is applied, the former image changes into an image in accordance with the external force newly applied. There are frequent cases called an electronic paper because of the electronic device behavior in respect of rewriting the image on display without externally supplying a coloring material or a development agent, in addition to the paper-like nature in maintaining (storage) the display state the external force for writing is eliminated.
Incidentally, the display medium, called an electronic paper, usually has a memory provided integral with a display, to externally readably hold electronic information including medium-identifying code, wherein the electronic information can be used in control of image writing or so.
Meanwhile, the display medium usually does not have a display-change function singly on the medium itself because assumed for use as a display medium like a paper to be written and used repeatedly. Image writing is available by mounting the display medium on a writing apparatus on which the display medium as a subject of writing can be exchanged. The display medium, written with an image, is removed from the writing apparatus and used in viewing the written image.
For example, consider the case to write a text describing an event guide and a venue map of the event respectively to two types of display mediums, available at hand, that are similar in exterior shape but different in resolution. In this case, resolution is required higher for the display medium to write a map image than the displaying medium to write a text image. However, the user is not allowed to know which one is higher in resolution of those display mediums. Thus, there is a possibility to write, by mistake, a map image into the display medium lower in resolution.
The user can write the image again to another display medium. However, in order to write an image into a displaying medium, there is presently required troublesomely a plurality of step-by-step operations, including (1) mounting a display medium on a write apparatus, (2) selecting an image to be written and (3) instructing to write the selected image into the display medium. Thus, image rewrite is not preferred in view of user's operation efficiency.